Clariant to expand production of dehydrogenation catalysts at Kentucky plant

10/15/2012

Clariant on Monday unveiled plans to expand production capacity for Houdry dehydrogenation catalysts.

The expansion will be achieved by a multi-million dollar investment at its current plant in Louisville, Kentucky, according to the company.

The expanded production is planned to start up in September 2013.

Clariant said the significant increase in catalyst demand is based on surging ethylene production derived from shale gas without C3- and C4-olefins byproducts.

The Houdry catalysts are part of the catalyst portfolio from Clariants business unit Catalysis & Energy (formerly Süd-Chemie). The business is headquartered in Munich, Germany, and has 16 catalyst production sites worldwide.

The first expansion investment in Louisville will further strengthen our position in the market for Houdry catalysts and allows us to cover catalyst requirements from our customers, said Harm Scheepstra, head of the catalysis and energy segment.

The Houdry catalysts are used in the petrochemical sector to produce C3- and C4-olefins from light paraffins (including butadiene) using the CATOFIN and CATADIENE technologies, exclusively licensed through CB&Is Lummus Technology,